


Is it real to me? Is it real to you?

by Sabriel (the_one_a_m_writer)



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Aromantic, Asexual Character, Asexual Tony Stark, Asexuality, Demiromanticism, Exploration of various identities:, F/F, Getting Together, Greyromanticism, M/M, Own Voices-- Asexuality, Unconventional Relationship, and more - Freeform, non-binary, unconventionally Trans FTM
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-10
Updated: 2019-07-15
Packaged: 2020-06-26 02:33:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19758805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_one_a_m_writer/pseuds/Sabriel
Summary: Rhodey's been half in love with Tony ever since he met him, but when he tries to test the waters with him, it doesn't go well.It goes horribly, actually, and now Tony's avoiding him.Maybe Rhodey needs to get his foot out of his mouth, and maybe they both need to learn that there's more to Tony Stark than either of them know.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> They're in college, and it's set in 2019, and Tony's 17.  
> Just so we're clear, there's no one right way to be an orientation, and these characters represent only one facet of the words they use to describe themselves.  
> Happy reading!

Rhodey meets The Kid when The Kid takes it upon himself to start beef with some of the Tufts Crew Dickheads in a Boston bar. 

Not that Rhodey knows what the beef is about, but The Kid is spitting mad, leaning off his barstool to yell at Tufts Crew Dickhead #1. 

“I don’t fucking care how many guys you said I fucked!” The Kid shouts. “I said, you’re an ugly asshole, and I bet you’re repressing your bisexuality! Grow the other one!”

“I din’ fuckin’ ask nothin’!” screams back TCD1. 

“Yeah, you did, you said come home with me! Huh?!” 

“He was joking you, cunt!” a second Tufts Crew Dickhead chimes. “Learn to take a fuckin’ joke, you cockwhore!” 

“Who are you calling a cockwhore, manslut?” 

“Who you callin’ a manslut, motherfucker?” 

“You think you’re so high n’ mighty,” scoffs TCD1. 

“Enh, I go to em eye  _ teee,”  _ TCD2 says in a nasally imitation of The Kid. 

“Did I  _ bring up my school?  _ Look, it isn't my fault you go to Tufts,” The Kid says. 

Okay. 

Okay, now it’s personal. 

Well, sort of. Really, Rhodey’s been nursing some protective instincts throughout the encounter, but apparently The Kid goes to his school. So, hey! Time to step in, he thinks, and does just that.

“MIT, let’s go,” he says to The Kid in a quiet, commanding tone. 

“Who the fuck are you?” The Kid asks, looking him up and down. Rhodey’s sporting some MIT gear, so at least The Kid will be able to see he’s a friendly. 

“They’re not worth your time. C’mon. Let’s get a drink somewhere cleaner. Y’know, without filth.” 

He makes sure to make eye contact with TCD1. 

The Kid doesn’t look convinced. 

“I’ll pay, man, just scoot,” Rhodey cajoles again, and with a huff, the Kid allows himself to be led off the barstool. 

Rhodey herds him out of the bar and onto the sidewalk, and they set out. “Name’s James Rhodes. You?” 

“Tony,” The Kid says. “Look, if you think you’re rescuing my honor or some shit, you have another think coming, Rhodes. I just left because you gave me the last word.”

“Look, I’m a friendly, aren’t I?” Rhodey asks, gesturing to his sweatshirt. 

“Maybe,” Tony says, sniffing. “I’m only still with you because you offered to buy me a drink.” 

“I’ll buy you a drink,” Rhodey agrees. “There’s another bar like a block this way. You don’t have a car, do you?” 

“What am I, stupid?” 

“You were about to get beat up, man. Can’t put anything past you at this point.” 

Tony sighs loudly. “I don’t have a car.” 

“Right. We’re going, then.” Rhodey sets off. 

Tony follows quietly, which lasts for maybe fifteen seconds. 

“Why’d you step in, though?” 

“You looked like you were about to get beat, and you’re a classmate. I guess. Solidarity.”

Tony makes a face and is quiet for another two seconds, then, “How much did you hear?” 

“You said he asked to take you home, you called him names, he said it was a joke, he called you names, his friend called you names?” 

“Right.” 

“Pretty shitty joke, though. Even if he was telling the truth.” 

“You think so?” escapes from Tony’s mouth. He turns to look up at Rhodey. “I mean, yeah. Shitty joke.” 

“Definitely shitty,” Rhodey agrees. “I’m guessing you weren’t looking for a one-night stand.” 

“I was  _ not,” _ Tony says vehemently. 

“You were just looking for a drink?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Here we are.” 

They enter the new bar. Rhodey shows his ID and Tony flashes his, then they enter. Rhodey orders a beer, and Tony orders the same. 

“Can I get the whole story?” Rhodey asks. 

“I guess. I was there, and I compliment one guy on his shirt, and next you fuckin’ know, the dudes are having a little conference and then the dude’s friend comes up to me and says... something. Like calling me attractive and stuff. But I told him right out I didn’t want to sleep with him. But then he got mad because he says he wasn’t actually flirting.”

“I think you were spot-on with the repressed bisexuality,” Rhodey determines. “So, d’you actually go to MIT?” 

“Yeah, I do. This is my first year here, but I’m a sophomore.” 

“Accelerated?” 

“Yeah.” 

“I didn’t think they did that anymore.” 

“They make an exception for me,” Tony says, but doesn’t elaborate. “I’m double-majoring in Course 6 and 16. CS and Aero-Astro. You?” 

“2; Mech-E. Shouldn’t I have seen you around? I’m taking sophomore classes, too.”

Tony pulls a face. “When I go to lecture, I try to stay unnoticed.” 

“Have you seen me, then?” 

“You’re hard to miss,” Tony says, then blushes. “I didn’t mean that in a...” 

“In a what?” 

“I don’t know. I just meant that you’re always asking questions.” 

“How else am I gonna learn?” Rhodey asks, more confused by Tony’s backtracking. He leaves it alone, though. Tony seems harmless enough. 

Tony shrugs.

...

“So, what dorm are you in?” Rhodey asks. 

“Baker, you?” 

“East Campus. Are you in Baker ‘cuz you’re an athlete?” 

Rhodey looks up and down Tony’s wiry frame and personally doubts it. 

“I’m not an athlete. It was a legacy thing. My father wanted me to be in Baker.” 

“Come visit me sometime,” Rhodey offers. 

...

“I mean, she’s a good professor, but the enthusiasm just isn’t there, you know?” Tony says. “Sure, we’re learning math from her--” 

“But it’s like she hates it,” Rhodey agrees. “Professor Yves, on the other hand...”

“Can you understand him? I can’t understand him. It’s a good thing he writes everything down.” 

“I’ve been getting better, but sometimes he’ll say a sentence and I have to wonder if it’s even English.” 

“Oh, I know!”

...

“I’m on an Air Force scholarship,” Rhodey admits. “So as soon as my four years are up, I’m out.” 

“What do you  _ want _ to do, though?” 

“I’m all right with my path. What about you?” 

“Well, I’m lined up to be my father’s successor as CEO.” 

“Shouldn’t you be taking business or something?” 

“Fuck that, though.”

“All right, fair. What do you  _ want?” _

“I want to invent things.”

“Yeah?” 

“Yeah.” 

...

“Are we, like... ‘re we friends?” 

“Yeah, yeah, we’re friends. We’re friends.” 

...

“Time to go home?” Rhodey asks finally. 

“Yeah, I guess. Let’s go.”

They leave, and walk down Mass Ave until Tony has to go left and Rhodey has to go right, and they share a look of utmost significance. 

“You better seek me out in our classes, I swear to fuck, Tony.”

“I will,” Tony promises. “I will.” 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> fuck.

They’re friends. 

Tony, at this point, spends more time over at the East Campus dorm than he does his own. He’s even been accepted into their little crew, and goes with Rhodey, Carol and Maria on the occasional hack. 

“Just have him sleep over, Rhodes,” Carol says at some point, rolling her eyes. “We both know I sure as shit ain’t rooming with you anymore. He can have my old bed.” (She does, in fact, spend the majority of her time three floors up in Maria’s room.) 

“I mean, yeah,” Rhodey says, because it wasn’t like he wasn’t thinking it, it’s just... it’s just something. He needed the excuse, maybe. He brings it up to Tony like: “Carol said you can crash.” 

“Doesn’t she need a bed?” 

“She’s with her girl.” 

“That’s fine then,” Tony says, and all but moves in. 

It’s at that point that Rhodey realizes he’s feeling a bit more than friendship for the fiery freshie. 

_ “Fuck,” _ he bemoans to Carol and Maria, who are listening with a mockery of sympathy. “He’s  _ so cute.” _

They look at each other. Shrug. “Can’t relate, Rhodes.”

Rhodey rolls his eyes. “How’d you two get together, huh?” 

“I was trying to figure out how to ask if she was gay, and then she ran down the courtyard topless with ‘LESBIAN STREAKING SQUAD’ painted across her body,” Maria says, jabbing a thumb at Carol. “I figured it couldn’t hurt to ask at that point.” 

“Damn. Shoulda seen that.” 

“Rhodes, we all know you’re gay as shit.” 

“Still woulda been funny-- what, would you rather I meant that I wanted to stare at your boobs?” 

Carol acquiesces with a nod. “I don’t give a shit, though, that’s why I did it.” 

“And the dare.” 

“Okay, and the dare.” 

They lapse into silence, and then Tony wanders in from class, looking exhausted. Carol and Maria nudge each other and nudge Rhodey. “Go take care of him like the valiant boyfriend you could be!” they whisper.

Rhodey half-jogs, half-wanders (yes, it’s exactly as awkward as it sounds) over, and takes Tony’s books. “C’mon, man, let’s get these to our room. Do you want food?” 

“I would love food,” Tony sighs, taking his newly free hand to brush his floppy hair out of his eyes. “Do you have Kraft mac?” 

“I do have Kraft mac.” 

_ “Fuck yeah,”  _ Tony says quietly. Rhodey makes both of them Kraft mac n cheese. They eat it together. 

_ “Goddamn  _ I love you,” Tony says in that quiet way of his, the one that always punches Rhodey in the chest with the sheer force of it. He knows, because Tony says the same thing to Carol and Maria, that he doesn’t mean  _ in love.  _ He just means  _ love.  _ Like a friend. Like a brother. 

Fuck, Rhodey doesn’t know what he’d do if he’d been brother-zoned. 

They eat mac and Tony looks less like a zombie and they end up curled together on the couch. Somehow they get to talking about the night they met. 

And Rhodey asks, because he can’t not ask. 

“So, are you bisexual?” 

He hasn’t seen Tony so much as show interest in someone. 

Tony, to Rhodey’s surprise, shrugs. “No,” he says, but it sounds like a “No, but it’s way more complicated than that.” 

“I’m gay,” Rhodey offers to break the ice. 

“I know,” Tony says, shoving him. 

“Are you interested in guys?” 

Again, Tony shrugs. 

“Fuck, dude, then what is it?” Rhodey says, meaning it lightly, just thinking out loud, but to his surprise, Tony clams. Hard. And then shoves away from Rhodey. 

“You met me in that bar...” Tony starts, his voice dangerously taut, like a wire. “And if you start acting like one of those Tufts assholes, I’m gonna treat you like a Tufts asshole.” 

He’s already halfway to standing. 

“Wait, what’d I do?” Rhodey asks, reaching for Tony. 

Tony looks at Rhodey’s outstretched hand and vanishes. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know. It's a laughably short chapter. The good news is that the next one goes up tomorrow.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> cue panic

He’s gone for the rest of the day. They’d all been done with classes. They were thinking of going night-wandering, which basically amounts to walking the Boston streets and being dumbasses. 

But Tony doesn’t reappear. 

And even though Rhodey’s prepared for Tony to sneak back in at four a.m. and stays up just for that occurrence, it doesn’t happen. 

The room feels colder. 

In a panic, Rhodey goes down to Baker house and asks around for Tony and finally gets word that his roommate (his real roommate) mentioned that he slept there last night. 

Which... hurts.

Obviously, it’s better than some alternatives. 

But hell, it hurts. 

Rhodey doesn’t know what he did wrong. Or, he does, and it was that thing he said. He can’t even remember what he said, though. Something about sexualities? But Rhodey doesn’t know what was wrong about it. 

He’ll apologize, though. He’ll be a man about it and everything. As soon as he can  _ find Tony. _

It turns out, finding Tony is damn near impossible if he doesn’t want to be found. 

Tony skips the classes they have together, which sucks, because now Rhodey feels like he’s somehow compromising Tony’s fuckin education on top of everything. Then he and Tony don’t cross paths, ever, then Tony’s not in any of his usual haunts, then Tony’s not in any of his semi-usual haunts. Late at night, Rhodey begs Carol to go and check rooftops with him, hoping against hope that Tony hasn’t decided to do anything idiotic like try to get to one alone. 

They check three rooftops to no avail, and Carol tells Rhodey to go home. 

“Rhodes. You’re not thinking straight.” 

“I chased him off!” 

“Leave him alone. Just give him a day or two, Rhodes, you know what he’s like.” 

And the thing is, Rhodey does know. He knows that Tony’s anger is hair-trigger. The kid tries, but hell, he's too good at taking things the wrong way. It’s just never been directed at Rhodey before. 

“I don’t want to,” he whispers to her. 

“I know, babe, I know.” 

She tells him Maria and her are taking their obligatory every-few-weeks rooming break (which is a big fat made-up lie) in order to excuse the fact that she spends the night in her old bed after hugging Rhodey thoroughly. It’s only a comfort because he knows that if Tony came back in the middle of the night, Carol would be out the door before Tony realized he’d disturbed her. 

Tony doesn’t come back in the middle of the night. 

So what happens is Rhodey feels like shit for two days and goes through classes mechanically. He eats down at Next House both because he doesn’t feel like cooking and because he wants to torture himself with the long walk like a fuckin machosist. 

On the third day, Rhodey has had enough of stewing and makes up his mind to do something productive. 

When Tony comes back, because Tony’s coming back, Rhodey’s gonna have his middle ground all prepared. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> see y'all tomorrow :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> diversity?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fuck it, folks, it's after midnight. have a chapter.

So Rhodey starts looking, and what he finds out is there’s more to sexuality than just, like, liking men or women or both. And then he feels like a fuckin’ idiot. Because this is East Campus dorm. Out here, you can’t swing one of the resident cats without hitting someone who doesn’t quite fit society’s favorite labels. 

Carol and Maria start inviting him to the hangouts. The queer-as-shit ones. Rhodey hasn’t gone before, because in middle school, he realized  _ oh fuck I’m gay _ and has been gaily going about his gay life ever since. Pretty cut-and-dry. And people were chill, and a few other kids at his school were out, and it was all kind of whatever.

Carol, though, has a thing where she’s a lesbian but like... she’s seen men before and been like _ ooh,  _ so apparently that’s a sexuality crisis and a half, and she still identifies as a lesbian but secure in the knowledge that it’s ok. That it’s just a word. That she’s  _ allowed  _ to have called herself a lesbian and then seen a dude and been like  _ ooh. _

(Rhodey finds out he was one such dude for her. She assures him it didn’t last long. He doesn’t know if he should be flattered.) 

And he realizes that he fuckin knows these folks. Like, there’s Armand, and they don’t do the gender thing. And Casey, who goes he/him but can’t shell out for top surgery and doesn’t want to bind or pack so it’s just what the fuck ever now. And there’s Beck, who’s  _ ace-- _ boy, is that a new one for Rhodey-- and DJ, who’s bi but like... not super into sex or romance, and there’re three girls in a poly relationship. Although one of the girls, Jess, isn’t a girl all the time. Says female on all her IDs, though. 

Also, Rhodey’s starting to remember what he said. 

He asked if Tony was into guys. Tony said I don’t know. Rhodey said something that implied  _ how could you not know? _

If you asked one of the girls Jess is dating, the one who said she was a lesbian, and you asked her if she was into guys-- what would she say?

_ “I fucked up,” _ Rhodey says. 

“You know it’s fixable, right bud?” Armand asks. They and Rhodey managed to get a pair of armchairs to themselves and they’re kind of the only ones in range right now. 

“I hope so, because I  _ really like him.” _

“You wanna run me through it?” 

Rhodey deliberates. He feels like such a fucking outsider here, which is weird, because he’s queer and this is a queer-ass group. 

But fuck, he needs guidance right now. 

He tries to be as faithful to the truth as possible, and runs Armand down with the basics of how he met Tony and the fact that he moved in and the fact that he likes him and then what happened that he hasn’t seen Tony in-- a week and a half. 

Armand thinks. 

“It’s fixable,” they determine. “But I think you’re gonna have to go back out there and find him again. You’ve given him long enough to cool off. Now you gotta make the first move again.” 

“What if I fuck it up again?” 

“Look, don’t take this the wrong way, but y’all ain’t even in a relationship yet. You can’t fuck up a friendship as badly as you can absolutely screw a relationship.” 

“Thanks,” Rhodey says. 

“No problem, man.” 

So Rhodey tries again. 

He goes and visits all of Tony’s spaces, especially where he likes to get coffee. He drags Maria this time on a roof hunt, stopping by their favorite haunts. He goes back to Baker dorm. He goes and visits Pepper in Simmons. 

She looks surprised to see him. 

“Have you seen Tony around?” he asks. He knows Tony and her are friends, or at least worked on a project together or some shit. Are on a team together?

“As a matter of fact, I have,” Pepper says, guarded. “What’s up?”

“I gotta apologise. I said something dumb.”

Pepper appraises him. 

“He’s coming and getting notes from me and my study group in fifteen minutes,” she says. “Sit in view of the door.” 

“Yes, ma’am.” 

And fifteen minutes later, Tony’s there. 

Rhodey can tell he hasn’t been drinking anything but coffee, and he probably hasn’t eaten well in the past week and a half. 

“Rhodey,” Tony says, and looks like he’s summoning up anger out of habit. 

“Tony, Tony, come on,” Pepper cajoles, leading him into the room. Rhodey stands. 

“Tony, I’m sorry.” 

“For what?” Tony says, looking overtired and overwhelmed. 

“For assuming,” Rhodey says simply. That’s something he’s learned. “Making assumptions. I shouldn’t have. I said a stupid thing.” 

“Yeah, you did.” 

“I didn’t mean to... well, I didn’t mean to criticize you. And I’m sorry.” 

“Yeah, you said that,” Tony says visibly caving. Then he runs into Rhodey’s chest with a thump and latches on. Rhodey belatedly reacts to the hug and hugs him back tightly. 

Pepper quietly walks away. 

“I wanted to believe you were one of the good ones,” Tony whispers. “And I didn’t want to go back if I was wrong.” 

“But I came to apologise?” Rhodey guesses. 

“Yeah. Can I come back?” 

“Please,” Rhodey says, running one hand through Tony’s soft hair, “please come back.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im going to a pride parade tomorrow (today because it's after midnight)!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> things happen in this chapter!!!

Tony comes back. 

The first thing that happens is Rhodey makes him go to classes. Then drink water. Then eat. 

Then they go on the rooftops as a group this time. 

There’s something so surreal about seeing the nighttime skyline. Something so quiet and peaceful. They all lean back and look at the stars, even though their clothes are collecting the dew gathered on the rooftop. 

“Glad you’re back, Tones,” Carol says from the other side of Rhodey. “We all missed you.” 

“Especially Rhodey,” Maria chimes.

“Fuckoff,” Rhodey grumbles quickly, not really meaning it. He smiles at Tony. 

Then they’re quiet for a solid five to ten minutes. 

“I’m like... not straight,” Tony says. 

That was abrupt. But Rhodey takes it in stride.

“Okay.” 

“But I never fucked a dude,” Tony adds. 

And there’s definitely more to the story than that, like if he’s wanted to or if he’s fucked a girl or if he’s wanted to do that either, but Rhodey knows the reason he said that is because of the Tufts Crew Assholes in the bar. 

“Did I tell you about the Tufts Crew Assholes?” Rhodey asks Carol and Maria.

“Yeah, you did, babe,” Carol says. 

“Huh,” says Rhodey, and they’re silent for minutes more. 

“It’s late.” 

“Early,” Maria argues. 

“Semantics.”

“Time to dip.”

Rhodey groans and levers himself off the floor. Roof. Whatever. “Let’s go.”

They do. They go back home. Rhodey and Tony sleep in one room, and three floors up, Carol and Maria sleep together. 

Okay, so Rhodey knows the original reason he started asking around Tony’s sexuality is to see if he had a shot. But now that he thinks about it, he thinks Tony would be chill. If he told him. If he explained nothing had to change if Tony didn’t feel the same way. 

So maybe that’s his new plan. 

He has this plan bouncing around in his brain like the windows screen saver for a solid two days before he does the first thing about it, which is step 1: take Tony somewhere solitary but unthreatening. 

Like a nearby park!

They go get coffee and they sit at the park and there are people around, but not  _ around.  _ It’s nice. 

Also, there's no step 2 to this plan, but whatever. In for a penny... 

Rhodey says, “You’re cute.” 

Let no one tell you that Rhodey’s got any game whatsoever, apparently. But fuck, Tony is cute. He’s got a scarf on and he’s attempting to burrow in it, both hands clasped around the coffee. 

“Thanks.” 

Because this is actually a thing they do. Call each other cute. On occasion. Like the  _ I love yous.  _

“Tony, I like you.” 

“I know.”

“No, I like... more than a friend. It doesn’t have to change anything. But I wanted to tell you.” 

“You  _ like _ like me?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Damn,” Tony says quietly. “Well, I’m not gonna run away, even though part of me wants to.” 

“How considerate of you,” Rhodey says, even though he’s shaking. He’s shaking so bad. Caffeine was such a shitty idea. Why didn’t he get decaf? Fuck. 

He’s shaking from the core of his body. From his heart. 

“See, the thing is,” Tony says. Rhodey waits. 

“The thing is...” 

Tony sips his coffee. Rhodey waits. 

“Fuck. Rhodey, sometimes I think I’m in love with you.” 

Rhodey’s heart  _ soars. _

“But I don’t know.” 

Tony’s voice slips into frustration. 

“I never fuckin’  _ know!”  _

It scares a squirrel. A human turns to look. 

“God, Rhodey, why couldn’t you have picked someone else, huh? I want to like you so bad!” Tony says, pleading with his coffee. 

“But I like you,” Rhodey says patiently. Tony Stark is about to tell him the secret to the universe. 

“I looked up a bunch of fuckin’ words for it,” Tony says, clipping his words uncharacteristically. That’s not a Tony thing. A Tony thing is biting out every last letter of a curse word. “Like asexual. I’m that. And aromantic. I don’t think I’m that. Greyromantic. Lithromantic. Demiromantic. It’s endless, Rhodey.” 

Rhodey can’t understand. Not like Tony wishes he could. Rhodey can sympathise, but not empathise. 

“I don’t know if I’m in love with you,” Tony says, turning to him, eyes wet with tears. “Dear God I wish I was.” 

Rhodey hugs him. Then they finish their coffees and go back to the dorm. 

Tony tries to explain again and Rhodey tries to get warm. Luckily, it’s warm inside, and Rhodey bundles up well. 

“So I don’t like sex.” 

“Okay.” 

“At least, I think I don’t. But I’m a virgin. And I’ve never tried anything.” 

“Okay.” 

“So how do I really know, you know?” 

“I get it.” 

“And then, like, I like the idea of kisses.”

“You do?” 

“But I have no idea of how to go about them.” 

Tony’s back to fully fleshed out words, which is good and very Tony. 

“Everybody’s gotta learn, right?” 

“Sure. I fucking love cuddling, though.” 

“Right. I got that.”

“And, like, holding hands and shit. Going on dates. I don’t know. I like that.” 

“Sure.”

“I like the idea of being the only one for someone, and them being the only one for me,” Tony confesses. 

“So do I."

“Does that make sense?” 

Sure it does. 

“Can I kiss you?” Rhodey asks. 

“You shouldn’t get in a relationship with me,” Tony says, “because I’ll be waffling all over the place, and in the meantime you’re gonna miss out on a proper boyfriend.”

“But I want you.” 

“Fine. What if we try an open relationship?” 

“Tony, who are you doing this for? Me or you?” 

“You,” Tony says like it should be obvious. 

Rhodey rolls his eyes. “Moron. Can I kiss you?” 

“We’re not making an agreement or anything, right? We’re just kissing?” 

“It doesn’t have to be anything you don’t want to be.” 

“Then okay,” Tony says, and leans in... 

And stops. 

His eyes are darting over Rhodey’s face. 

“I can’t.”

“Oh, okay,” Rhodey says, backing off.

“I mean, I’m scared.” 

“First kiss?” 

“Yeah.” 

_ Oh God.  _

“You gotta kiss me,” Tony says. 

“Close your eyes?” 

“Yeah.” 

Rhodey leans in and presses a gentle kiss to Tony’s lips. “How’s that?” 

“Oh my  _ God,”  _ Tony says. 

“Yeah?” 

“Oh my  _ God.”  _

“You wanna do it again?” 

“No,” Tony says. “But it was nice.” 

And he curls up against Rhodey’s chest. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there you have it, folks. They're finally together. see y'all tomorrow


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> congrats

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's.......................... one a.m.

"Are you dating?" Carol asks. 

Rhodey shrugs. 

"Seriously. Are you in a relationship?" 

Shrugs. 

They kiss? Sometimes. They definitely go on dates. Sometimes Tony says I love you and means romance, and sometimes he says I love you and means friendship. Rhodey always means romance. 

Rhodey asks for a kiss pretty often, and sometimes Tony leans in, and sometimes Tony says no, and sometimes Tony chickens out and hides his face in Rhodey's chest. It's a whole thing. Sometimes, Tony sits on the bed and closes his eyes and demands Rhodey make the first move for him. 

What a funky little brain he has, Rhodey thinks fondly, kissing Tony.

"Are you two dating?" Justin asks. Rhodey doesn’t know him that well; his daddy runs in the same circles as Tony’s daddy. 

"Maybe." 

"Y'all fucking?" 

“Whoa,” Rhodey says. “How’s this your business?” 

“It ain’t, it ain’t, I’m just curious,” Justin says. 

“Stop being curious,” Rhodey says, puffing up. He’s an ROTC kid, he’s got muscles, okay? 

“Jeezus hell,” Justin mutters, and slinks off. 

Tony turns around from where he was studiously ignoring the interaction. (He’s civil to Justin, but Rhodey gets the feeling he doesn’t like him all that much.) 

“Thanks for defending my honor, honey.” 

“Any time.” 

“Does it bother you?” 

“Does what?” Rhodey asks, finally finishing his journey to the seat across from Tony with his lunch. 

“That we don’t know what we are. That I don’t know.” 

“No.” 

“If you’re sure.” 

“I’m sure. I love you.” 

“Love you too,” Tony says, and since he turns bright red, Rhodey thinks this one’s a romance one. 

The biggest fight they have is when Rhodey fucks up and lets slip that he’s kind of jealous for everyone else for having sex, and Tony takes it the wrong way (i.e., that Rhodey cares beyond this gentle bout of jealousy). 

Tony makes a considerable effort to get Rhodey to break up with him, which means he cruelly reminds Rhodey that they aren't in a relationship and talks about other hot guys (and girls) and reminds Rhodey of the guy's phone number he got last week. He says he was close to calling it, even though Rhodey knows-- thinks--  _ hopes, fuck--  _ that that wasn't true. 

Then Rhodey's at a bar and he's had too much to drink and he's flirting desperately with some guy who isn't Tony and Maria's hands are on him, pulling him away, telling the guy she's sorry,  _ Rhodey's taken but he doesn't know it right now, _ she says with a wry smile, and Rhodey growls at her, but the guy laughs sadly and says to hit him up if that changes but Carol pockets the number and they drag him home. Tony's not there. Tony's at Baker. Maria volunteers to stay with Rhodey that night, so when Rhodey wakes up in the morning with a headache, he's sprawled in a blanket pile on the floor with Carol and Maria both. 

That night Rhodey goes to Pepper again, and Tony's there, sobbing because he didn't actually want to break up with him. Rhodey hurries to him, crashing to his knees next to the beanbag. 

"Be my-- my boyfriend?" 

"Yes!" Tony wails. 

So after that they're exclusive. 

And of  _ course _ it's rocky at times. Tony still takes things the wrong way and is quick to anger. If he's hurt, he hurts back, and he hurts hard and he hurts well. Rhodey still doesn't always think before he speaks. 

But they're together. 

And they love each other. 

And in the end, that's enough. 

Tony tells him, once, (after college), that first and foremost, Rhodey is his best friend. And maybe he goes in and out of love, but he'll always love him-- if that makes sense. 

"Sure," Rhodey says. 

"Is that enough for a relationship?" 

"What's the saying about marrying your best friend?" 

Tony goes bright red and sputters at him. 

Quietly, Rhodey looks at his savings account's app on his phone, and notes the diminishing time before he can buy Tony a ring. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (yes, I did delete the previous end note. Other edits: Carol and Maria are now three floors up from Rhodey, not three floors down; Carol's streaking was moved from the hall to the courtyard; author now identifies as aromantic.) So, in the end, I really don't know how sexual or romantic attraction works. And yet I continue to write relationships! Love that.


End file.
